Separator means for filing systems



Dec. 31, 1940. A. VOLK SEPARATOR MEANS FOR FILING SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 31, 1938 Aflorney Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNIED STATES PATENT QFFICE Y 2,226,791 SEPARATOR MEAN S FOR FILING SYSTEMS Alfred Volk, Hechingen, Wurttemberg, Germany Application August 31 1938, Serial No. 227,740 In Germany July 27, 1936 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to filing systems for cards, sheets or other recording material and more particularly refers to separator means in the form of a file cover adapted to be used in vertical filing systems.

According to one feature of the invention, one of the walls of the separator means or file cover is subdivided into a plurality of strips which form individual separator strips between which the cards, sheets or other recording material are to be arranged. These separator strips are of such dimensions as to extend beyond the upper edge of the cards or the like arranged between them.

A further feature of the invention consists therein, that one of the two outermost separator strips is connected to a flexible sheet extending behind the other separator strips and serving as a support for the latter.

Finally, the back of the separator means or file cover is, in accordance with the invention, provided with incisions forming the continuation or prolongation of the lines of out between the individual separator strips and allowing a considerable number of cards or the like to be inserted between successive separator strips without causing binding of the lower edge of these cards or the like.

Filing systems having separator strips are already known and according to one of these known systems the separator strips are movably arranged upon bars or rails which extend in the longitudinal direction of the bottom of the filing box. The lower edge of the separator strips is, for the purpose of fixing the strips, provided with perforations or the like. The known filing system is opened by bending forwardly the upper projecting end of the desired separator strip, whereupon the recording material arranged behind said separator strip may be withdrawn.

The disadvantage of such a filing system is, that the separator strip, when released yields rearwardly and must again be bent forwardly, when reinserting the recording material previously withdrawn. These two operations are time-consuming and complicated and the operator must use both hands for withdrawing and reinserting recording material in such filing systems. Moreover, the reinsertion of the recording material is rendered difiicult also by the fact, that, due to the separator strip being bent forwardly, the lower edges of the recording material arranged in front of the particular separator strip are pressed against each other or squeezed together, thereby rendering difficult the insertion of new cards or the like,

According to another known arrangement of this kind the cards or the likeare superposed in I,

like drastic binding actions result. The desired close fit of the cards or'the like against the separators, therefore, is impossible, because after insertion of the cards or the like the surfaces of the strips or separators occupy an inclined position with regard to the surfaces of the cards or the like.

Finally, filing systems having separators are well-known in which the separators are swingably arranged upon rails, bars, or the like on which they are movable in the longitudinal direction or in the transverse direction.

Arrangements of this kind have the great disadvantage that the individual members must necessarily be made of metal or another hard material, because otherwise a durable connection at the foot end is impossible. Now, as the oscillating axis of theseparators is located below the oscillating axis of the inserted cards or the like,

oscillating movements will result in non-uniform notching effects are caused at the lower edges of the inserted cards or the like. This is particularly true for the light leaves of loose leaf books which are used in all book-keepings operating on the copying system. Such filing systems, moreover, have the special disadvantage, that rows or groups of separators cannot be exchanged or newly inserted at all or only after emptying the filing system. The insertion of spare members as often required in connection with filing systems in which the cards or the like are arranged alphabetically, therefore, is rendered extremely difficult. The range of use of such filing systems is, moreover, very limited also by the fact, that special filing boxes provided with rails, bars, or the like are required, whereby the whole arrangement is rendered expensive.

The disadvantages of the above mentioned known filing systems using separators are prevented according to the present invention by connecting the separator strips, laterally arranged in echelon, to the front portion of separator means in the form of a file cover by means of a back which serves for thereception of the cards or the like as well as simultaneously serving as an oscillating axis. The back of the file cover or separator means is provided with incisions extending in the direction of the separator strips and which allow an extension of the back of the file cover when inserting a greater number of cards, sheets, or the like. Due to the fact, that the oscillating axes of the separator strips and of the cards or the like coincide and' the back of the file cover is capable of being extended, a perfect adaptation of the separator strips and the cards or the like is obtained and binding and climbing phenomena are prevented. The light separator strips, consisting of cardboard, adapt themselves much better'than separator strips consisting of a hard material. The individual file covers or separator means are arranged one behind the other in the filing box without being connected together, so that any 'number of spare covers or separator means may easily be inserted. The file cover according to the invention may be used in connection with filing boxes of any kind.

In the accompanying drawing, one construction of a separator means in form of afile cover according to the invention is shown by way of example. In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a separator means in form of a file cover according to the invention,

I Fig. 2 shows a perspective front view of a file cover or separator means according to the invention in which some cards or the like are inserted, and

' Fig. 3 is a perspective rear view.

The separator means according to the invention is in the form'of an ordinary file cover, having two walls. This. file cover or separator means may be made of cardboard, press cardboard or other pliable material; The front wall I of the file cover or separator means which consists of a single piece merges into a grooved back 2. This back is provided with incisions 3 and serves as a support for the cards, sheets, or other recording material 4. The rear wall of the file cover is subdivided into a plurality of small strips forming individual separator strips'5 which preferably extend somewhat beyond the upper edge of the front wall I of the file cover. The head of each of these separator strips 5 may be provided with an index mark 6 or a suitable protecting member, consisting of metal or another heavy material. To one of the twooutermost separator strips, for instance to the outermost separator strip 5 at the right hand sideof Fig. 1, i. e. to the separator strip 5 at the left hand side of Fig. 3, a sheet I may be fixed which extends behind the other separator strips 5 and is fixed at 8 to the front wall I ofthe file cover or-separator means beyond the back 2 of the latter. This sheet 1 preferably consists ofpaper and serves as support for theseparator strips 5. For the purpose of characterizing the file covers or separator means in a filing box, the front wall I of. the file cover, consisting of a single piece, may be provided with a projecting index mark not shown in the drawing. The front wall I of the file cover, moreover, may be provided with a vertical or an inclined ruling and may bear the names of the account-holders. For the purpose of marking the location of the separator strips 5, the upper edge of the front wall I of the file cover or separator means may be provided with a row of symbols which corresponds .to an equal row of symbols provided upon the separator strips 5.

Each of the file covers or separator means is arranged in the filing box in such a manner, that its wall I, consisting of a single piece, lies in front. Between two consecutive separator strips 5 the cards or the like are inserted in such a manner, that the separator strip, carrying the designations referring to the cards or the like is arranged in front of the latter. The opening of a file cover or separator means is effected by first opening the front wall I, consisting of a single piece and carrying the head characteristics. If a particular number, for instance the number 148, is chosen, the main index mark Hill is first gripped, and the front wall 'I of the corresponding file cover is drawn forwardly. In a second operation then the now visible separator strip carrying the number 8 is gripped and bent forwardly After drawing forwardly the desired separator strip 5, the latter is held in its adjusted position, even if the angle formed between the two walls of the file cover or separator means. is very small only. As has been mentioned already above, this advantage is obtained by the grooved back of the file cover or separator means which may be extended, as well as by the particular connection of heavy index marks 6 to the pliable separator strips 5 which are held open by the weight of the index marks acting in a forward direction.

The construction according to the invention may, with particular advantage, be used for carrying out booking operations upon the accountshe'ets outside of the filing box. Each individual file cover or separator means can easily be withdrawn, put on a table and individual book-keeping operations may so be carried out. Afurther. substantial advantage of the separator means or file cover according to the invention consists in this, that at the end of the year, the file cover or separator means together with the cards or the like arrangedin it may be filed away for which purpose it is only necessary to provide the separator means or file cover with a suitable perforation.

The well-known advantages-of separators in form. of strips with regard to separator cards consisting ofla single piece which particularly are to .be seen in the great economy. in material and space are obtainedin a most satisfactory manner in accordancewith the invention. Besides the above mentioned advantages, the file cover or separator means according to the invention has, with regard to the hitherto known separator means used in filing boxes,,the great advantage of .cheapness in the manufacture and unlimited range of --use. i

What -I claim is: i

A separator means for use in vertical card filingsystem, comprising a file of. somewhat resilient material having a front wall and a rear wall, one ofsaidjwalls being subdivided in parallel members forming individual separator strips, a back connecting s ai d two walls, said back being provided with incisions extending transversally through said back in alignment with the subdividing slits which form said separator strips, whereby back strip sections are formed, said strips being of such length as to provide heads extending above the other wall and above the upper edge of the cards to be inserted between said strips and being inclined due to the resiliency of the back strip sections to return in their original position, said heads being of material essentially heavier than the material of said strips in order to maintain the separated strips in the forwardly bent position.

ALFRED VOLK. 

